THE role of unpaid carers, who have faced added pressures during lockdown, will be highlighted in a week of events this month.

Shipley-based Carers’ Resource, which supports 16,000 unpaid carers across the district, is pressing ahead with Carers Week, an annual celebration of carers and their dedication to those they care for.

The charity, which also has branches in Skipton and Harrogate, is planning activities from June 8-14, mostly held virtually on its Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages. Some events will be pre-recorded, some live and some interactive.

To mark the start of Carers Week, carers and other members of the public are invited to raise a glass in honour of unpaid carers at noon on Monday, June 8.

The theme of national Carers Week is Making Carers Visible. Carers’ Resource chief executive Chris Whiley said: “We want more than ever to celebrate carers and encourage them that they’re playing a crucial part in the lives of their loved ones and in wider society.

“We’d like to encourage all carers to have a go at online Carers Week but if that’s impossible for some carers they can let us know and we can give them a call for a chat.”

Carers’ Resource has been delivering services throughout lockdown; helping carers access information and advice, with form-filling and applications, wellbeing reviews and befriending. The charity’s hospital support services and regulated care service have also continued.

“Carers have been under added pressure during lockdown, as they are cut off from their wider support networks, they’re unable to have a break, and we know some carers are feeling lonely and are concerned about their finances,” said Ms Whiley. “We are still here to support them and would encourage carers to get in touch.”

This year is the 25th anniversary of Carers’ Resource and to celebrate staff and supporters had planned to walk 25k between the premises in Shipley and Skipton. With the walk cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are instead being invited to cover 25k on daily walks, for sponsorship, during Carers Week.

“Anyone who wants to get involved doesn’t have to do it all at once, and they don’t have to do the full 25k - just do something around the numbers two and five,” said Ms Whiley.

Virtual events planned for the week include parent carer workshops, chairobics, craft sessions, online bingo, mindfulness and relaxation, and coffee and chat sessions.

Carers’ Resource supports unpaid carers through one-to-one sessions, support groups, employment and training advice, planning for emergencies, and maintaining wellbeing.

Anyone can become a carer at any time. Three in five of us will become carers at some point in our lives. Men are almost as likely as women to be carers - 42 per cent of carers are men.

There are more than seven million carers in the UK. By 2030, this number will increase by 3.4 million.

l To take part in the sponsored walk contact Carers’ Resource fundraiser Claire Macina on cmacina@carersresource.org or call her on 07936 368424 or donate at justgiving.com/campaign/walk25

For more about Carers Week visit carersresource.org/carers-week or call (01274) 449660, (01423) 500555 or (01756) 700888. The charity also has a website for young carers at youngcarersresource.org.